Sol Duc Falls

About Sol Duc Falls

Sol Duc Falls is the point where the Sol Duc River drops into a narrow canyon in Olympic National Park. The National Park Service gives the height as 50 feet. The Washington Trails Association (WTA) lists 48 feet.

The shape changes with the water. Depending on flow, the river splits into as many as four channels as it drops, WTA says. NPS describes the canyon walls below as 50-foot cliffs covered in algae and moss.

The trail passes through old-growth forest, per NPS. At the 0.8-mile mark you reach a historic shelter and the falls viewpoint, and a footbridge crosses the river right at the falls, according to WTA.

Sol Duc Hot Springs and the Lovers Lane Loop

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort sits a few miles down the road from the trailhead. NPS says the resort is generally open from late March through the last weekend in October, and the brochure says it closes in winter.

NPS says the resort offers seasonal day use of three mineral pools and one freshwater pool, open only while the resort is open. The resort's pool page lists 1.5-hour sessions at $19 for adults 12 and up and $15 for ages 4 to 11 and seniors.

The resort's pool page shows the 2026 fall season ending November 1, so expect the pools to be closed until about late March 2027. No 2027 opening date was posted as of October 2026.

The 6.0-mile Lovers Lane Loop links the resort with the falls, per the NPS brochure. It makes a longer day than the short walk from the trailhead lot.

Getting there and parking

From US 101, turn onto Sol Duc Road about 29 miles west of Port Angeles, WTA says. NPS describes the road as paved and 14 miles long. Follow it past the hot springs to the trailhead lot at the end of the road.

From Port Angeles, Lake Crescent and the Hoh

NPS says the Sol Duc Valley is about 40 minutes west of Port Angeles. The park's miles-and-times table is more cautious: 40 miles and 1 hour 15 minutes from the Port Angeles visitor center to Eagle Ranger Station.

The same NPS table gives 16 miles and about 1 hour from Lake Crescent (Storm King). From the Hoh Rain Forest visitor center it lists 72 miles and 2 hours 30 minutes. Those figures end at Eagle Ranger Station, a few miles short of the falls trailhead.

In fall 2026, NPS scheduled overnight and multi-day closures of the US 101 Hoh River Bridge. The park said the Hoh Rain Forest stayed reachable from Forks. Check the NPS bridge page before driving between Sol Duc and the Hoh.

Entrance pass and parking

You'll need an Olympic National Park entrance pass. NPS charges $30 per private vehicle or $25 per motorcycle, each valid for 7 days. Hikers and cyclists pay $15 each, and kids 15 and under get in free.

Olympic is a cashless park, so bring a card or prepay on Recreation.gov. America the Beautiful passes work here, and a $55 Olympic annual pass covers a full year. Parking at the trailhead is included in the entrance fee.

We found no timed-entry or vehicle reservation system for Olympic in 2026. NPS lists November 11 as the last 2026 fee-free day for US citizens and residents.

Sol Duc Campground

NPS describes Sol Duc Campground as 82 sites in old-growth forest along the river. For 2026, NPS listed reservations for March 20 to November 1 on Recreation.gov. The brochure says it runs as a primitive campground in the off-season, with pit toilets and no water.

If you have time for a second stop, Marymere Falls is 0.9 mile each way from Storm King Ranger Station, off US 101 at Lake Crescent. It's also inside Olympic National Park.

For a short walk in another national park, Myrtle Falls is at Paradise on Mount Rainier, which charges its own entrance fee.

Map and nearby falls

The trail to the Sol Duc Falls footbridge

To the falls: NPS puts the walk at 0.8 mile (1.3 km) each way from the parking lot and calls it relatively level. That makes about 1.6 miles round trip.

At the falls: WTA places the viewpoint and a historic shelter at the 0.8-mile mark, with the footbridge crossing the river at the falls. NPS asks visitors to keep children under close supervision at Sol Duc Falls.

Lovers Lane Loop: for a longer day, the NPS brochure lists the 6.0-mile Lovers Lane Loop. It connects Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort with the falls.

Overnight trips: the day hike needs no permit. Camping in the wilderness does, and WTA says quotas apply from May 1 to September 30 in the Sol Duc-Seven Lakes Basin area. NPS charges $8 per person per night plus a $6 permit fee.

When to visit

Sol Duc Road decides your trip. NPS says it often closes in winter for snow and ice.

Best months and winter road closures

NPS says Sol Duc Road is generally open year-round, weather permitting. The park listed the road open on October 27, 2026.

Call the park's road line at 360-565-3131 before you make the drive. The sources we checked don't name a best month for flow or a typical crowd level.

NPS does name a season for salmon. In fall and spring, watch for salmon leaping upstream at the Salmon Cascades viewing platform in the Sol Duc Valley.

NPS warns that snowmelt can push flows to dangerous levels, so take extra care near the canyon edge when the river is high. Pets stay home in every season, since the brochure bans them on all Sol Duc trails.

Safety and swimming

Photos

Sol Duc Falls FAQ

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